diff --git a/pkg/dataobj/index/indexer.go b/pkg/dataobj/index/indexer.go
index 5d8d16e6fa..4ebed57360 100644
--- a/pkg/dataobj/index/indexer.go
+++ b/pkg/dataobj/index/indexer.go
@@ -354,6 +354,34 @@ func (si *serialIndexer) buildIndex(ctx context.Context, events []metastore.Obje
 	return indexPath, processed, nil
 }
 
+// downloadObject downloads an object from the bucket, attempting to pre-allocate
+// the buffer based on object size from Attributes. Falls back to io.ReadAll if Attributes fails.
+func downloadObject(ctx context.Context, bucket objstore.Bucket, path string) ([]byte, error) {
+	reader, err := bucket.Get(ctx, path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch object from storage: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer reader.Close()
+
+	// if possible, pre-allocate the buffer based on object size from Attributes
+	attrs, err := bucket.Attributes(ctx, path)
+	if err == nil && attrs.Size > 0 {
+		buf := make([]byte, attrs.Size)
+		_, err = io.ReadFull(reader, buf)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read object: %w", err)
+		}
+		return buf, nil
+	}
+
+	// fallback to io.ReadAll if Attributes fails
+	object, err := io.ReadAll(reader)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read object: %w", err)
+	}
+	return object, nil
+}
+
 // downloadWorker processes downloads from the input downloadQueue and writes the resulting buffer to the downloadedObjects output channel.
 // It exits when downloadQueue is closed.
 func downloadWorker(ctx context.Context, logger log.Logger, downloadQueue chan metastore.ObjectWrittenEvent, objectBucket objstore.Bucket, downloadedObjects chan downloadedObject) {
@@ -364,21 +392,11 @@ func downloadWorker(ctx context.Context, logger log.Logger, downloadQueue chan m
 		objLogger := log.With(logger, "object_path", event.ObjectPath)
 		downloadStart := time.Now()
 
-		objectReader, err := objectBucket.Get(ctx, event.ObjectPath)
-		if err != nil {
-			downloadedObjects <- downloadedObject{
-				event: event,
-				err:   fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch object from storage: %w", err),
-			}
-			continue
-		}
-
-		object, err := io.ReadAll(objectReader)
-		_ = objectReader.Close()
+		object, err := downloadObject(ctx, objectBucket, event.ObjectPath)
 		if err != nil {
 			downloadedObjects <- downloadedObject{
 				event: event,
-				err:   fmt.Errorf("failed to read object: %w", err),
+				err:   err,
 			}
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/dataobj/index/indexer_test.go b/pkg/dataobj/index/indexer_test.go
index 43fb618cd3..9f684ce626 100644
--- a/pkg/dataobj/index/indexer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/dataobj/index/indexer_test.go
@@ -427,3 +427,33 @@ func TestSerialIndexer_FlushOnBuilderFull(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, float64(1), testutil.ToFloat64(indexerMetrics.totalRequests))
 	require.Equal(t, float64(1), testutil.ToFloat64(indexerMetrics.totalBuilds))
 }
+
+func TestDownloadObject_Success(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	bucket := objstore.NewInMemBucket()
+	testData := []byte("test data content for download")
+	objectPath := "test-object"
+
+	// Upload test object
+	require.NoError(t, bucket.Upload(ctx, objectPath, bytes.NewReader(testData)))
+
+	// Download with pre-allocation
+	result, err := downloadObject(ctx, bucket, objectPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, testData, result)
+}
+
+func TestDownloadObject_ObjectNotFound(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	bucket := objstore.NewInMemBucket()
+	objectPath := "non-existent-object"
+
+	// Try to download non-existent object
+	_, err := downloadObject(ctx, bucket, objectPath)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "failed to fetch object from storage")
+}